Container with reclosure



June 14, 1966 A. P. SCHOLTZ CONTAINER WITH RECLOSURE Filed Jan. 5, 1961 INVENTOR. Arthur R Schol'rz Unid States Patent 3,255,915 CONTAINER WITH RECLOSURE Arthur P. Scholtz, Chicago, Ill., assignor to National Can Corporation, Chicago, Ill. Filed Jan. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 80,398 3 Claims. (Cl. 220-29) This invention relates to a new .and improved reclosure type can. More particularly the invention relates to a can which is hermetically sealed in conventional fashion and opened with a conventional can opener. A ring is installed in the upper end of the can projecting inwardly and having a peripheral bead, curl or hem on its inner diameter provided at regularly spaced intervals with locking nibs. Engaging with the ring is :a reclosurecap having pnojecting lugs spaced complementary to the nibs and so constructed and positioned, :as hereinafter described in detail, so that when the cap is twisted it looks on the ring with a tight fit. To facilitate twisting of the cap, the cap preferably has a recessed top and a diametric rib so that the thumb and fingers may turn the cap easily.

Accordingly, it is a principal purpose of the present invention to provide a can which is initially packed with a metal end in conventional fashion and with conventional machinery. The consumer cuts the end off the can with a conventional can opener and thereafter may open and close the reclosure cap to dispense the contents as often as required. By reason of the construction of the ring and cap a relatively airtight reclosure is provided which preserves the contents against deterioration.

, Still another feature of the invent ion is the provision of a space between the reclosure cap and the can end, which space may be used for advertising circulars or premiums, directions for use of the contents of the can, or other purposes. A small package of additive such as a coloring material or flavor may be placed in the space between the cap and the end to be added to the contents of the can by the consumer as desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a con- .tainer so constructed that, when the can end is cut by a conventional can opener, upward pressure is exerted on the severed end so that it does not fall into the container nor is it necessary to pry the end out of the container to obtain access to the interior.

Heretofore various types of reclosure cans have been developed. In many of such constructions the cylindrical wall of the can is opened, as by means of a tear strip opened with a key, and cooperating means provided on the can body and the portion of the body originally above the tear strip and/ or the can end itself for reclosure. Such constructions have the disadvantages inherent in key-opening cans-such as high cost of manufacture and inconvenience to the consumer in opening the can. They have additional disadvantages in that sealing on reclosure is either ineffective or diflicult from an'operational standpoint.

In other prior constructions the top of the cylindrical body wall is deformed, as by the rolling of deep beads and the can end likewise deformed by stamping or drawing deep depressions which fit inside and seal against the bead. Thus when the end is cut by a can opener reclosure may be accomplished by pressing the end downwardly until the depression seats against the bead. Such constructions raise serious manufacturing obstacles. Further, because of lack of rigidity of the end, repeated reclosure of the end is not feasible. Another disadvantage of such constructions resides in the fact that the inside diameter of the beadmust necessarily be almost as great as the can body diameter, which does not leave much room for the user to pry the end out of the bead and hence further contributes to the inconvenience of use. Additionally, the exposure of the raw edge of the severed end is a hazard to the fingers of the user.

Patented June 14, 1966 Other prior constructions employ snap-on or friction outer ends, which prevent hermetic sealing of the can and make sterilization of the contents after sealing impossible.

A still further prior construction employs a ring held in the double seam between the end and body and having a central perforation or aperture in which fits a friction plug-type reclosure cap. Removal of such caps requires use of a prying instrument of some type and is generally time and effort consuming. Further, if a tight seal is to be accomplished, considerable force is required to push the cap into the aperture which necessitates a rugged construction and increases the cost of materials and manufacture. The effectiveness of making an airtight reclosure seal is also less in this type construction than in that hereinafter described.

Accordingly, the present invention affords important advantages over prior reclosure can constructions without material increase in the cost of construction thereof.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification, and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the upper end of a can constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the can end in place.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the can end severed as by a conventional can opener and removed.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary bottom view of the reclosure cap.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary bottom view of the ring.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the reclosure cap.

As has been stated, the present invention may be used in connection with a conventional can of the sanitary type, or it also may be used with various types of general line cans, such as paint cans. In the form of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings there is provided a can having a conventional cylindrical body 11 terminating in its upper end in a flange 12. The lower end of the can may be constructed in conventional manner. The upper end is closed with an upper end 13 having a depressed top panel 14, a short upwardly extending cylindrical portion 16 and a curl 17 which is initially filled with a lining compound (not shown). By means forming no part of the present invention and well understood in the can manufacturing art, the curl 17 is placed over the flange 12 and a double seaming operation performed resulting in an end head 18.

The present invention secures between the end 13 and body 11 a ring 21. Ring 21 has a short cylindrical wall 22 which fits immediately inside the upper end of the side wall 11 of the can and has an outwardly directed flange 23 which fits on top of the flange 12 and is secured between the curl 17 and flange 21 during the double seaming operation thereby locking the ring 21 in place. However, it will be understood, other means for securing the ring 21 in the upper end of the can body may be employed.

The depth of wall 22 is sufiioient so that when the end 13 is severed by a conventional can opener, ring 21 is not cut and further any metal particles or chips that may be out from the end drop into a trough 24 formed between the wall 22 and an upwardly-inwardly directed conical portion 26. On the upper end of conical portion 26 is a horizontal ledge 27 which is spaced downwardly from end panel 14 a predetermined distance. On the inner edge of ledge 27 is a short skirt 28 extending downwardly and terminating in its periphery in a curl 29. It will be understood that instead of a curl 29 the inner edge of the skirt 28 may be finished ofii with a bead or hem, and the term bead is used in this application to include various means of finishing off said skirt. At equally spaced intervals around the periphery of the bead 29 are looking nibs 31 formed by cutting into the bead 29 and flattening the same, the metal being displaced inwardly during the flattening operation. As shown particularly in FIG. 4, the nibs 31 are relatively short, measured in an arcuate sense, and are equally spaced around the periphery. The number of such nibs is subject to variation but in the accompanying drawings four such inward projections are illustrated.

The reclosure cap 36 is preferably formed of a molded plastic, such as linear polyethylene. Its outer periphery has a horizontal flange 37 having an outside diameter approximately equal to that of the ledge 27 and having a thickness slightly greater than the distance between ledge 27 and panel 14. A central recessed panel 38 is provided inwardly of flange 37 and connected thereto by a vertical wall 39 having an outside diameter slightly less than the distance between the inner edges of nibs 31. At spaced intervals there project outwardly from wall 89 locking lugs 41 which fit under the nibs 31 and are equal in number and spacing thereto. The outer edges of lugs 41 bear against head 29. The upper surfaces 40 of lugs 41 are upwardly inclined ramps in the direction of rotation of cap 36 for locking action. At one end of each lug 41 is upwardly projecting abutment 42 which limits the turning movement of the cap 36 by engagement with nibs 31, or a single abutment 42 may be formed only on one lug. To facilitate turning movement of the cap 36 there may be provided a diametric twist rib 43 which extends up from the panel 38 and bears against the center of the panel 14.

The twisting of cap 36 relative to ring 21 locks the cap on the ring. As illustrated in the drawings, the locking lugs 41 fit between the nibs 31 until the flange 37 rests on the ledge 27. By twisting the cap as by use of the rib 43 the lugs 41 fit between nibs 31, allowing cap 36 to lower to the level illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Further twisting brings lugs 41 under nibs 31 and ramps 40 cause seating of flange 37 on ledge 27 until the abutment 42 strikes the end of the nibs 31. By reason of the resiliency of the metal of the ring 21, the cap is locked in place and a relatively airtight seal accomplished.

Initially the can may be packed either through the top or the bottom. If the can is to be packed through the top, the bottom end (not shown) is seamed onto the can body at the can factory. Either before or after the contents are filled into the can, the ring 21 is positioned with its flange 23 resting on the flange 12 of the can and, after filling, the cap put in place thereon or, alternatively, the ring 21 and cap 36 may be preassembled and installed after the contents are filled. Thereafter the end 13 is seamed onto the body in conventional fashion thereby locking the ring -21 in place. On the other hand, the ring 21 and cap 36 may be installed at the can factory and the end 13 then seamed in place and the contents filled through the bottom.

The consumer cuts the end 13 from the can in conventional manner, the completion of this operation being shown in FIG. 2. Chips of metal fall into trough 24. By reason of the resiliency of the ring 21, the end panel 14 is pushed upwardly slightly after it has been cut away and thus may be removed readily without the danger of cutting the fingers of the user. When the consumer wishes to dispense part of the contents he twists the cap 36 in a clockwise direction as shown in the accompanying drawings until the nibs 31 and lugs 41 are out of registry and then lifts the cap. Replacement of the cap may be accomplished in reverse manner.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a container construction, a body, an end lock seamed onto said body, a collar secured between said body and end adjacent to one end of said body, said collar having an annular ledge adjacent to but spaced from said end formed with a neck surrounding an opening to provide access to the interior of said body, and a cap for said opening comprising a flange fitting on said ledge and a cylindrical wall fitting inside said neck, the flange on the cap terminating short of the interior wall of the body along its entire periphery by an amount at least sufficient to allow space for a cutting tool to move between the flange and the body as the tool penetrates and cuts the end along a path inwardly of the seam, said neck and cap having cooperating means to secure said cap in place and release said cap by twisting said cap relative to said collar, a part of said cooperating means, upon twisting said cap to secured position, interfitting with another part thereof to draw said cap and collar into a relatively airtight sealing pressure engagement to seal said opening, whereby the space within the container and below the collar is sealed from the space between the collar and said end, said flange filling the space between said ledge and end and exerting upward pressure on said end whereby upon cutting said end with a conventional can opener the cut portion of said end is lifted.

2. In a container construction, a body, an end lock seamed onto said 'body, a collar secured between said body and end adjacent to one end of said body, said collar having an annular ledge adjacent to but spaced from said end formed with a neck surrounding an opening to provide access to the interior of said body, and a cap for said opening comprising a flange fitting on said ledge and a cylindrical wall fitting inside said neck, the flange on the cap terminating short of the interior wall of the body along its entire periphery by an amount at least suf ficient to allow space for a cutting tool to move between the flange and the body as the tool penetrates and cuts the end along a path inwardly of the seam, said neck and cap having cooperating means to secure said cap in place and release said cap by twisting said cap relative to said collar, a part of said cooperating means, upon twisting said cap to secured position, intenfitt-ing with another part thereof to draw said capand collar into a relatively airtight sealing pressure engagement to seal said opening, whereby the space within the container and below the collar is sealed from the space between the collar and said end, said collar having an external Wall fitting around the inside of said body and extending a substantial distance below said end and having an upward-inward stretch extending to said ledge, said upward-inward stretch being forced downwardly by pressure exerted thereagainst by said end acting against said cap, and said upward-inward stretch biasing said ledge and said cap upward toward said end in the assembled position of said container.

3. A can comprising a can body having an enveloping wall, a can end seam-sealed to the can body, a collar secured to the can body and having a neck underlying the can end and forming an opening radially inwardly of the enveloping wall to provide access to the interior of the can body, and a reclosure cap for said opening accessible upon fracture of the can end and having its periphery spaced from the wall by an amount suhicient to allow a can opener to sever the can end but not cut the cap, said reclosure cap and collar having cooperating interfering means for forcing the cap axially as it is turned, thereby to secure the cap in place by twisting the cap relative to the collar, said cap being under axial pres sure exerted in one direction by the can end and in the 6 opposite direction by the 21m, whereby said pressure ,773,622 12/ 1956 Augensen 22029 serves to resist relative turning of the cap with respect 1957 Wigert 22054 the can FOREIGN PATENTS References Cited by the Examiner 5 172226 [12/1921 Great Britain UNITED STATES PATENTS THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. 1,695,286 12/1928 Johnson. EARLE DRUM-MOM), Examine"- ,901 3/ 19 4 Wackman 220- 39 G. E. LOWRANOE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION, A BODY, AN END LOCK SEAMED ONTO SAID BODY, A COLLAR SECURED BETWEEN SAID BODY AND END ADJACENT TO ONE END OF SAID BODY, SAID COLLAR HAVING AN ANNULAR LEDGE ADJACENT TO BUT SPACED FROM SAID END FORMED WITH A NECK SURROUNDING AN OPENING TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID BODY, AND A CAP FOR SAID OPENING COMPRISING A FLANGE FITTING ON SAID LEDGE AND A CYLINDRICAL WALL FITTING INSIDE SIDE NECK, THE FLANGE ON THE CAP TERMINATING SHORT OF THE INTERIOR WALL OF THE BODY ALONG ITS ENTIRE PERIPHERY BY AN AMOUNT AT LEAST SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW SPACE FOR A CUTTING TOOL TO MOVE BETWEEN THE FLANGE AND THE BODY AS THE TOOL PENETRATES AND CUTS THE END ALONG A PATH INWARDLY OF THE SEAM, SAID NECK AND CAP HAVING COOPERATING MEANS TO SECURE SAID CAP IN PLACE AND RELEASE SAID CAP BY TWISTING SAID CAP RELATIVE TO SAID COLLAR, A PART OF SID COOPERATING MEANS, UPON TWISTING SAID CAP TO SECURED POSITION, INTERFITTING WITH ANOTHER PART THEREOF TO DRAW SAID CAP AND COLLAR INTO A RELATIVELY AIRTIGHT SEALING PRESSURE ENGAGEMENT TO SEAL SAID OPENING, WHEREBY THE SPACE WITHIN THE CONTAINER AND BELOW THE COLLAR IS SEALED FROM THE SPACE BETWEEN THE COLLAR AND SAID END, SAID FLANGE FILLING THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID LEDGE AND END EXTERTING UPWARD PRESSURE ON SAID END WHEREBY UPON CUTTING SAID END WITH A CONVENTIONAL CAN OPENER THE CUT PORTION OF SAID END IS LIFTED. 